- Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Witwatersrand Rifles
caption=
dates=1 May 1903 -
country=South Africa
allegiance=
branch=Army
type=Infantry
role=Mechanised infantry
size=One battalion
command_structure=Army Conventional Reserve
current_commander=Lt. Colonel J.C.L. Valentine
garrison=Germiston
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=Colonel John Job, SM, MMM, JCD
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=Colonel of the Regiment
nickname=
patron=
motto="Pro Deo et Patria" (For God and Country) (Latin)
colors=
identification_symbol_2= [http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb309/hammersfan_01/Tartans/Douglas.gifDouglas]
identification_symbol_2_label=Tartan
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=The Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment is a mechanizedinfantry regiment of theSouth African Army . As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a BritishTerritorial Army orUnited States Army National Guard unit.History
The Witwatersrand Rifles (often familiarly known as the "Wits Rifles") was formed on
1 May 1903 by members of the Railway Pioneer Regiment and the Rand Rifles, both of which had fought on the British side during the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899 - 1902.As befitted a regiment based from the
gold -richWitwatersrand region, it had a very close relationship with the mining establishment of the time; and its cap badge further emphasized this link.The Regiment first saw action during the
Bambataa Rebellion of 1906, when it deployed a contingent to (the then)Zululand .In 1907 the Regiment was further strengthened when it absorbed the Transvaal Light Infantry Regiment.
The regiment was mobilized again when
World War I broke out. The first action that it took part in was the South African invasion ofGerman South West Africa (nowNamibia ). After the successful conclusion of this campaign, virtually all members volunteered for overseas service. Most of the volunteers were consequently assigned to the 3rd South African Infantry Battalion. (Due to the South African military law of the time, soldiers could not be forced to serve overseas, nor could existing military units be deployed there.)The most well-known action that this unit took part in was the Battle of
Delville Wood in theSomme . Other members of the regiment served in the Witwatersrand Rifles company of7 South African Infantry Battalion ; this unit which served inGerman East Africa against the forces of General von Lettow Vorbeck.The inter-war years saw the Regiment deployed during the
1922 Rand Revolt , when rebellious South African Communist Party white miners attempted to overthrow the government of GeneralJan Smuts .In the early 1930s the Regiment affiliated with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Regiment of the
British Army . As a consequence, the Witwatersrand Rifles adopted the uniform and many of the traditions of this Scottish Lowland regiment. Despite the Cameronians' disbandment in 1968, the Wits Rifles still continues this heritage today.As a result of the outbreak of
World War II in 1939, the Regiment was expanded to twobattalion s. However, due to the battalions being used to supply replacements in a piecemeal fashion to depleted South African units taking part in theNorth Africa n campaign, the Witwatersrand Rifles was only deployed as a coherent unit (toEgypt ) in 1943.During its service in North Africa, the Witwatersrand Rifles were amalgamated with
Regiment De La Rey . This combined Regiment, nicknamed the "Royal Boere", saw extensive action inItaly as part of theSouth African 6th Armoured Division , particularly at Monte Caprara and Monte Stanco.From 1970 until the first all-race democratic election in 1994, the Regiment saw action in the
South African Border War inSouth West Africa (nowNamibia ) andAngola as well as on the South Africa/Botswana border and in South African townships.During South Africa's second democratic election in 1999, the Regiment deployed 180 volunteers in support of the
South African Police Service (SAPS).In order to re-establish and maintain the Witwatersrand Rifles' Scottish links, the Regiment has recently formed an alliance with the
King's Own Scottish Borderers andThe Lake Superior Scottish Regiment .COMMANDING OFFICERS - WITWATERSRAND RIFLES
RAILWAY PIONEER REGIMENT
Lt Col. J.E. Capper, RE (1899-1903) (Later Maj Gen. J.E. Capper, KCB, KCVO)
WITWATERSRAND RIFLES
Lt Col. J.G. Hamilton, MVO (1903 - 1905) (Later Hon. Col.)
Lt Col. T.J. Macfarlane, CMG (1906 - 1908)
Lt Col. R.W. Schumacher - Ffennell (1908 - 1909) (Later Hon. Col.)
Lt Col. C.B. Saner (1909 - 1912)
Lt Col. J.W. Smyth, VD (1912 - 1919)
Lt Col. S.B. Schlam (1919 - 1923)
Lt Col. R. Dukoff - Gordon, VD (1923 - 1928)
Lt Col. W.C.M. Howarth, VD (1928 - 1931)
Lt Col. W. Crewe - Brown, VD (1931 - 1936) & (29.4.1942 - 9.8.1942)
Lt Col. L.F. Sprenger, DSO, MC, VD (1936 - 1939)
Lt Col. W. James, ED (1939 - 1942) & (10.2.1943 - 5.7.1943)
Lt Col. H.C. Sumner, MC, MM, VD (9.8.1942 - 20.2.1943)
Lt Col. W.A.D. Cherrington, VD (2 Bn) (1940 - 1941) (Later Col. W.A.D. Cherrington, VD)
Lt Col. J.B. Bester, DSO & Bar (1943 - 1945) (Later Brig. J.B. Bester, DSO & Bar and Hon Col)
Lt Col. W.R. Van Der Riet, MC (1945 - 1946) (Later Lt Gen. W.R. Van Der Riet, SSA, SM, MC and Hon Col.)
Lt Col. G.M. St.L. Daines, ED (1946 - 1951)
Cmdt. C.J.R. Nicholls, ED (1951 - 1956)
Cmdt. E.C. Harris, ED (1956 - 1962)
Cmdt. C.L. Pitt, JCD (1962 - 1965)
Cmdt. R.C. Gradige (1965 - 1968)
Maj. (T/Cmdt.) C.J. Derby - Lewis (1968 - 1973) (Acting OC: 1967 – 1968)
Cmdt. D.C. Fletcher, SM, JCD (1973 - 1981)
Cmdt. (Dr.) J.L. Job, SM, MMM, JCD (1981 - 1986) (Later Hon. Col.)
Maj (T/Cmdt.) A.E. Dixon - Seager, MMM, JCD (1986 - 1989)
Lt Col. K.J. Townsend, SM, MMM, JCD (1989 - 1997)
Lt Col. E.L. Carton - Barber, JCD (1997 - 2002) (Later Col. E.L. Carton - Barber, JCD)
Lt Col. C.E. Casey, JCD (2002 - 2005)
Lt Col. M.F. Robberts (2005 - 2007)
Maj. (T/Lt Col.) I.D. Stins (Acting OC: 2006 - 2007)
Lt Col. J.C.L. Valentine, MMM (2007 - )
Colonel-in-Chief (This Honorary post officially fell away in 1961 when the Union of South Africa became a Republic)
HM Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother) (1947 - 1961) (unofficially 1947 - 2002)
Honorary Colonels
Col. Sir, L. Phillips - Bart, VD, (MLA) (1908 - 1937)
Col. R.W. Schumacher - Ffennel (1909 - 1923)
Col. J.G. Hamilton, MVO (1910)
Col. The Hon. C.F. Stallard, DSO, MC & Bar, ED, QC (MP) (1937 - 1971)
Brig. J.B. Bester, DSO & Bar (1972 - 1985)
Lt Gen. W.R. Van Der Riet, SSA, SM, MC (1985 - 1988)
Maj Gen. W.N.A. Barends, SM, MC & Bar (1989 - 2002)
Col. (Dr.) J.L. Job, SM, MMM, JCD (2002 - )
Regimental Symbols
*Regimental motto: "Pro Deo et Patria" (For God and Country). This motto was adopted in 1961, when the Republic of South Africa became a republic, prior to 1961 the motto was "Pro Deo et Rege et Patria" (For God, King and Country).
*Regimental march: "Within a Mile O' Edinburgh Town".
*Regimental anniversaries: Regimental Day (1 May), Monte Stanco Day (20 April).
*Regimental Freedoms: Germiston,Johannesburg ,Barberton .
*Regimental badge: AMaltese cross within a wreath of tenProtea flowers, with a rifle on each side of the cross. The cross is surmounted by a stringed bugle and in the centre of the cross is a mine shaft in a circlet. At the top of the wreath is the Cameronian Star and on the base of the wreath is a scroll with the inscription "Pro Deo et Patria".
*Regimental headdress:Glengarry or Kilmarnoch with blackhackle .
*Regimentaltartan : Douglas (trews).Honours and Affiliations
Battle honours
As a Rifle regiment, the Witwatersrand Rifles does not carry colours. Instead the honours banner are displayed on the pipes of the
Pipe Major . The Witwatersrand Rifles has the following battle honours:
*First World War:
** South West Africa 1914-1915
*Second World War:
**Italy 1944-45
**Cassino II
**Allerona
**Florence
**Monte Querciabella
**Monte Fili
**The Greve
**Gothic Line
**Monte Stanco
**Monte Salvaro
**Sole/Caprara
**Po Valley
**Campo Santo BridgeAlliances
*GBR - The Royal Scots Borderers
*CAN -The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/witwatersrand_rifles/ Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment Website]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.